■FOOTBALL
Facility collapse probed
US government investigators began sorting through the Dallas Cowboys’ flattened practice facility in Irving, Texas, on Monday, trying to figure out why fierce winds sent the tentlike structure crashing down during a rookie workout session. Twelve people were hurt. Records obtained by reporters show the city of Irving granted the Cowboys’ request to replace the fabric roof last year, five years after the structure was built. The team listed itself as the contractor for the roof replacement, but Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the team would not comment about the work. The records do not show the Cowboys sought an inspection of the facility after replacing the roof, although city code requires it, according to Gary Miller, Irving’s director of planning and inspections.
■CRICKET
Strauss player of the year
England captain Andrew Strauss, 32, was named as the team’s player of the year for 2008-2009 by sponsors Vodafone on Monday. The award, given to the opening batsman just two days before he leads England into the first Test against the West Indies at his Lord’s home ground, was a reward for some heavy run-scoring by the Middlesex left-hander. Claire Taylor won the corresponding award for the England women’s team.
■BASEBALL
Player’s mom in drugs bust
The mother of New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain was jailed in Nebraska and facing a felony charge after being arrested on suspicion of selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer in February. Lincoln Police Captain David Beggs said Monday that 44-year-old Jacqueline Standley was arrested at her apartment on Saturday night. Beggs said she allegedly sold 1 gram of a substance believed to be meth to an uncover officer for US$110 on Feb. 11. The substance tested positive for meth in testing at the state laboratory. She was charged on Monday with delivery of an exceptionally hazardous drug. Her bail was set at US$5,000, and she was assigned a public defender. Chamberlain found out about the arrest after arriving at Yankee Stadium on Monday night. He said he hadn’t spoken with her in a while. “You’ve only got one mom, man, and you’ve got to be thankful for her,” he said. “I still love her.”
■RUGBY UNION
Kockott ‘slapped’ with ban
Coastal Sharks scrum-half Rory Kockott has been suspended for one week and will miss a crucial Super 14 fixture against the New South Wales Waratahs in Durban on Saturday. Kockott, second-highest scorer in the southern hemisphere championship this season with 110 points, pleaded guilty to slapping flanker Adam Thomson from visiting New Zealand side Otago Highlanders at the weekend. The incident four minutes from full-time had a comical edge as diminutive Kockott floored much taller and stronger Thomson with a strike to the face and South African referee Phillip Bosch raised a red card. A lawyer representing Kockott on Monday at the Durban hearing argued the sending off was sufficient punishment, but the judicial officer deemed the action reckless and imposed a ban. The suspension means Sharks’ New Zealand coach John Plumtree cannot field his first-choice half-back partnership just one week after fly-half Ruan Pienaar returned following a lengthy injury absence. Sharks, runners-up to the Northern Bulls two seasons ago, lie fourth and Waratahs fifth, three points behind with two rounds to go and nine franchises in a scramble for semi-finals places.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
Taiwanese-American right fielder Corbin Carroll on Tuesday hit his third home run in two days to tie for the MLB lead with 14 homers. Carroll on Monday hit two homers for the Arizona Diamondbacks in their 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants to put him with in one of the hit leaders. Although the Giants got their revenge on Tuesday night, beating Arizona 10-6, Carroll hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to tie him with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber and the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge for the most homers so far this year. In the previous night’s
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